The law is a “jealous mistress,” said an eloquent 19th-century Supreme Court justice, a statement some people use to explain why personal relationships falter under the strain of law school. Better you should “kick “em to the curb” if things are rocky is the exact legal advice I believe Dean Kacer gives during orientation week at Chapman Law School.

Not only did Christian Na ignore the dean, but he relentlessly pursued Beth Everson during their first semester at Chapman in the fall of 2008. As Valentine’s weekend is upon us, those not yet too jaded may want to hear the story about how they beat the odds.

Their first encounter was at the orientation-day luncheon, where they were assigned to the same table. “I asked him, ‘Are you Chinese?’ because I wanted to practice my Chinese,” recalled Beth, who grew up in Anaheim and graduated from Oxford Academy and Cal State Fullerton. “He said, ‘No! I’m Korean!’ and I was so embarrassed I didn’t talk to him the rest of the lunch.”

But Christian, who grew up in Fullerton and graduated from Troy High and UC Riverside, was actually smitten. While it turned out they had every class together the first semester, he apparently didn’t think that gave him enough opportunity to woo her. So he started organizing events for their entire track of about 60 students – a sushi party at Chomp, a Rock Band party – all contrived to get Beth in a social setting. Except she never came.

Finally, in November , she went to a bonfire he organized at Big Corona – but with another guy, a guy she always sat next to in class. Christian all but wrote her off. But when they came back from winter break in January, Beth and the other guy were no longer sitting together. The pursuit resumed.

Christian found out Beth loved Mountain Dew – and was bummed that as a “Coke campus” Chapman didn’t stock Mountain Dew, a PepsiCo brand. So Christian co-opted a refrigerator in a student lounge and stocked it with Mountain Dew, which he seemed magically appear with whenever Beth needed one.

There’s an event every February called the Barrister’s Ball, a formal that students refer to as the “law prom.” Beth hinted around. Christian recalls: “I said, Let me make it easy for you. Let’s go together.'” She said OK.

The day of that first date started poorly for Christian. The florist screwed up his order for orchids. He paid $150 to get his car detailed, and then it rained. He locked his keys in the car and had to pay $50 to get them out. Nonetheless, when he showed up at Beth’s parents’ house dressed to the nines, her father remarked, “He looks like he wants to marry her.”

After the ball, a lot of their classmates were going to continue the party at a club. Beth didn’t drink, but she asked Christian if he wanted to go. “He said, ‘Let’s just go back to your house and watch ‘The Office.’ I thought, ‘What a good guy.’ “

Dates that followed included a “John & Ken” political rally, a movie – “Slum Dog Millionaire” – and trips to the O.C. courthouse to watch the Ketchup Trial of Steve Rocco , which is where I first met them. Finally, at a special appearance of Korean food truck in Old Towne Orange, Beth asked Christian to be her boyfriend. “He made me feel safe. I felt like I could trust him. So I told him all my secrets.”

By the next year – my first year – they were nearly inseparable figures on campus and were often seen holding hands. This was rare; in fact, I’ve only seen one other couple ever holding hands at law school.

But the stress of school was there, and it did wear on their relationship. Beth was the studious one, scrupulously outlining every class. Christian had poor reading-retention skills but a great mind for logic – he could get by sometimes without even cracking the course book. This killed Beth, who was in a do-or-die situation, needing to maintain high enough grades to keep her scholarship. Worrying about Christian too was just too much.

“I felt like I was his mother. He wasn’t coming to class, wasn’t showing up for our elder-law clinic.”

Two days before the spring finals last year, Beth kicked Christian to the curb. “I told him he needed to get his stuff together.”

They didn’t speak for more than a month. Then Christian caught wind that Beth had come down with swine flu. He bought some of her favorite Japanese ice cream and brought it to her house. While he was there, he helped her mom with some chores. “I thought, ‘I want him back!'” Beth recalled.

They reunited. Beth was still troubled by Christian’s bad study habits and that he seemed overly fatigued for a 25-year-old, even for a law student. After doing some research online, she suspected he might have ADHD and/or sleep apnea. When he went to a doctor, he was diagnosed with both.

Understanding and treating that has gone a long way to strengthening their bond, as has coming to grips with how they were letting law school dictate the rhythm of their relationship.

“A lot of the times that we were mad at each other, it was the stress,” Christian says. “And when we were together (pre-breakup), it was all the crappy times – the studying, the being in class. And the relaxing times we’d started spending with other people.”

Six weeks ago , on Christmas Eve, Christian walked Beth out to The Wedge in Newport, to a spot they call “Gatsby” because of the green navigation light they can see from there. As she opened his Christmas gift to her – a T-shirt with a Facebook script that says “Add Me” – an engagement ring came tumbling out.

“I didn’t have to think about it,” she says, “I said, ‘Yes!'”

Mickadeit writes Mon.-Fri. Contact him at 714-796-4994 or fmickadeit@ocregister.com

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